Embroidery machine

ABSTRACT

Embroidery machine having vertical embroidery tool carriers parallel to the vertically fed fabric to-be-embroidered and infinitely adjustable sideways in a plane parallel to the fabric plane on top and bottom traverses, with the tool units on the carriers being heightwise infinitely adjustable thereon.

[151 3,680,505 [451 Aug. 1,1972

United States Patent Reich [54] EMBROIDERY MACHINE 3,377,969 4/1968Reich.....

[ 1 hwemon- Rudolph Reich, An der s 6, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS545 Neuwied, Germany Aug. 18,1970

[21] App1.No.: 64,690

23,417 9/1883 Germany........................112/90 ..l12/83 1909 GreatBritain................

[22] Filed:

Primary ExaminerAlfred R. Guest Attorney-Walter Spruegel mmmwm t vw D aty T [bat e .1 d nme -mto est wmm mww m efmmb flw flafi .wf T ml umm Cvflmnc 09. %05. .mm qem e O s Mv mne r h V..1Oe .el m mmm i e hm b nm cma a a ifm m d tu wm mw Pdm y m mlml 0 36 m 1 m m m w mmwm m .lEcbPs.m 3343 4 NN 7 23 2 1C9 2 J5 4 m6 9 m. m 1 D J V. m m MI W m 1 .m m mmm n ma U m "U a r mm mi N A w n H mm .8 mmna L mz CO0 F d u A UIF m HUN B.UUU

11 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,183,866 5/1965 Walbert etial.

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' sum 10 [1F 11 FIG. 14 f SHEET 11 0F 11 PATENTEflAus 1 I972 EMBROIDERYMACHINE This invention relates to embroidery machines.

In known embroidery machines, the embroidery tool carriers are arrangedhorizontally and, hence, in the direction of the tensioned fabricsection of 9.20 m and/or 13.20 m length. These horizontal carriers,which already obstruct a clear view of the embroidery area and preventready access to the embroidery tools, require on account of their greatlength numerous vertical supports to prevent their bending or vibration.These vertical supports also prevent the arrangement of guide columns orother carrier elements by means of which knives for cutting the bobbinthreads between the fabric and bobbins could move along the carrier.Further, on a bobbin-set exchange, the bobbins must be removed from theguides singly or over a great breadth due to the projecting rear guidesurface.

In other known embroidery machines, in which the fabric is, by needlehooks or the like at its opposite side margins, tensioned onlywidth-wise, the fabric will lengthwise be unevenly contracted especiallyby the embroidery being applied, which results in the unsightlyappearance of alleys or half-moons between individual successiveembroideries which reduce the value of the embroidered fabric or renderthe same useless.

Further, in all known embroidery machines the fabric field available forstitching by each needle, i.e., the needle stitch field, is the same atthe same needle spacing, whereby the production of embroidery patternsof different widths must always be within the bounds of the lateralneedle spacing.

These and all other known embroidery machines have as the basic patternunit the 4/4 needle stitch field with a French measure equal to 27.07 mmas lateral on line measure. However, this 4/4 needle stitch field isunlimited in height. All embroidery machines are limited to this 4/4rapport, with the lateral needle spacing being 27.07 mm. If largerpatterns are to be embroidered, it is necessary to remove from themachine every second or third needle, for example.

With the productivity of an embroidery machine being measured by thenumber of stitches per time unit, this means that with the most usualneedle stitch fields of 8/4 2 X 4/4) equal to 54.14 mm, or 12/4 (=3 X4/4) equal to 81.21 mm, the productivity of the machine is limited to50% or even 66%.

It is among the objects of the present invention to keep the stitchproduction at different pattern widths always at the same optimum of100%, to provide for more ready view of the embroidery area and of theembroidery tools and also for more ready access to them, to keep thehigher machine productivity springing from automation within favorableeconomic limits by a vertical carrier system, to afford infinite, spacedembroidery of fabric sections without distortion of the patternarrangement, and to provide the machine with a basic needle stitch fieldsystem by which the cost of the embroidery machine is considerablyreduced and its productivity increased without, however, limitingthereby the needle stitch field size.

Contrary to previous practice, a size is to be set for the new needlestitch field which affords by numerous sub-divisions a plurality ofsmaller needle stitch fields. Still further, the new embroidery machinemust afford considerably more changes in and contrasts between patterns.

These objectives are attained according to the invention, by arrangingthe embroidery tool carriers in the direction of the fabric feeddirection in the machine for lateral adjustability parallel to thefabric on traverses which extend normal to the fabric feed direction atthe upper and lower entry and exit ends of the embroidery field.Preferably, the embroidery tool carriers are arranged vertically betweenthe traverses at vertical fabric feed direction.

By arranging the tool carriers so that they extend in the fabric feeddirection preferably vertically, they may, if extending over the entireheight of the embroidery field, be without any support over their heightand may be of less structural strength and more slender, so that inaddition to the necessary access and observation space betweensuccessive vertical carriers along the fabric, the basic pattern size isalso fixed in order that the embroidery field may be embroidered overits entire area under the control of a punch card and withoutdisplacement of the embroidery frame or embroidery tools. By thevertical arrangement of the principal guides in line with verticallysuperposed embroidery areas, and due to the spacing between successiveones of these principal guides, the entire embroidery field may, duringoperation of the embroidery frame and embroidery tools,.be readilyobserved. Malfunction of the thread, embroidery tools, etc., can quicklybe detected and corrected.

By virtue of the vertical arrangement of the embroidery tool carriers,the embroidery rows of successive embroidered areas may be continuouswith each other over the entire fabric section without any lateralcarrier displace-ment, and hence merge with each other for continuity.

The catching, arresting and cutting of the threads prior to each fabricfeed step and prior to each bobbinset exchange is considerablyaccelerated and facilitated by the vertically arranged carriers and themount of the cutting tools, bobbin guides, etc., on these carriers, andbobbin exchange is accomplished quicker and simpler because the bobbinscan by gravity drop from their guides.

The vertical carriers serve, for still further machine simplification,also for the mount of the suction nozzle at each individual embroiderypoint, and of the associated suction pipe along the principal verticalguides.

Further in accordance with the invention, the activation andinactivation of needles and punches over the vertical carriers for theproduction of so-called needle stitch field change productions may besimplified and centrally controlled without having to undertake, asheretofore, laborious and time-consuming unscrewing of needles andpunches and their rescrewing, not linearly but over the entireembroidery area. Further in accordance with the invention, theindividual embroidery areas may over the associated vertical carriers,and at any desired height, be displaced axially with respect to eachother. Further, by providing for infinite adjustability of theembroidery tool carriers between the two traverses, i.e., normal to thefabric feed direction, the embroidery may be more extensive, morecontrasting and more widely differing.

Further, since the basic needle stitch field should have a horizontal orline measure of 84 mm, there are afforded numerous sub-divisions ofwhole numbers of this line measure, so that within the bounds of thisbasic rapport or lateral needle spacing, embroideries of several smallerneedle stitch fields are possible. This is made possible by acorresponding design of the punch card, while by lateral displacement ofthe carriers larger needle stitch fields may be achieved. The needlestitch field height depends on the up and down bobbin stroke of theparticular bobbin size, and shall in this instance be 108 mm by reasonof the presently largest embroidery bobbins and the sub-division.

Further in accordance with the invention, and especially be virtue ofthe vertical carriers, the controls may be arranged for the productionof more interesting patterns. This is achieved by providing fortwo-color embroidery at the vertical carriers. In this connection, thetools on the carriers may embroider differently, by having those oneven-numbered carriers embroider, for ex ample, a border of a tableclothin one color, and have those on uneven-numbered carriers embroider theinterior of the cloth in another color. Also, the individual embroiderystations over the carriers may embroider differently, and a combinationof both procedures is also possible.

Also, by having at the start and end of the embroidery field movablysupported and fabric-penetratable claw provisions, distortion of thefabric, especially by the embroidery process, is prevented. Usually, thefabric is within the embroidery field distorted predominantly in themiddle, and the distortion decreases toward the firmly clamped sidemargins of the fabric. This accounts for the hitherto formation withinthe embroidery field of the aforementioned half-moons and alleys. Thisis avoided according to the invention, in that the fabric in theembroidery field is immovably held not only on the sides by needle hooksor the like, but is at the entry and exit ends of the embroidery fieldso further held and clamped that the same cannot stretch and therebyavoid the appearance of alleys and half-moons. These claw provisions,which are to hold the fabric in the embroidery field taut against anystretch, are preferably rolls with claws. More particularly, each clawprovision at the entry and exit ends of the embroidery field is toconsist of three superposed claw rolls, which are provided with clawsover such peripheral parts, and are so controlled in their turningmotions on stub shafts by spaced cams through intermediation of anoperating lever and preferably operated by springs, that the claws onthe separate peripheral roll parts will on turning motion of the rollssuccessively and in overlapping fashion penetrate the fabric. Each rollof a roll trio thereby undergoes the following successive motions,namely penetration of the claws into the fabric, firmly holding thefabric with the claws, and retraction of the claws from the fabric. Theclaw rolls of a trio always successively penetrate the fabric at eachfeed step and turn with the fed fabric, because each roll turns in thefabric feed direction under cam control and by spring action, and isafter such turning motion returned to home position by the action of aspring on the operating lever, and the cams are so angularly displacedthat the claw rolls successively penetrate the fabric.

Further in accordance with the invention, the claw rolls are to be inthe form of fabric-transport rolls and longitudinal fabric stabilizationrolls, of which the fabric-transport rolls are provided with needlehooks curved in the fabric feed direction, and the stabilization rollsare provided with needle hooks which are curved opposite to the fabricfeed direction. Further, the stabilization rolls are to be arranged atthe entry end of the embroidery field in the middle between twofabrictransport rolls and inactivated at the proper times by solenoids,for example. The fabric is thereby firmly held by the stabilizationrolls in the very middle in which the same is displaced or stretched themost in the embroidery process, with these rolls being, like thefabric-transport rolls, provided over angularly displaced parts of theirperipheries with needle hooks. In contrast to the fabric-transportrolls, the stabilization rolls, which have needle hooks that are curvedopposite to the fabric feed direction as already mentioned penetrate thefabric only when the same and the embroidery field are at a stop. Inorder that these stabilization rolls penetrate the fabric only at thesestop times, they are at the proper times inactivated by preferredsolenoids which, therefore, hold these rolls out of reach of the fabricduring feed steps of the latter, and bring them into penetration withand retraction from the fabric during a stop and preferably at the endand start, respectively, of a fabric feed step.

Finally, the claw rolls are turnably adjustable by hand, whereby ontheir adjustment after penetration of the stabilization rolls into thefabric, the latter may be further tensioned to avoid under anycircumstances the unsightly appearance of alleys between individualfabric embroidery units.

Further objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the artfrom the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out thepresent invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section through an embroidery machine embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section through a lower part of themachine with a bobbin drive and nearby part of a bobbin carrier;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the machine part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the embroidery tools and carriers as seenfrom the fabric;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional bottom part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section through an embroidery tool aggregate showing theneedle bar;

FIG. 7 is a section similar to FIG. 6, showing the punch and other toolsof the aggregate;

FIG. 8 shows schematically the fabric stock as held taut between sidetransport chains and upper and lower claw rolls;

FIG. 9 is a cross-section through the upper fabrictransporting claw rolltrio and drive therefor;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section through the lower fabrictransporting clawroll trio and drive therefor;

FIG. 11 is a cross-section through a longitudinal fabric stabilizationroll trio with drive and disabling means;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged section through a fabric-transporting claw roll;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged section through a longitudinal stabilization clawroll;

FIG. 14 illustrates the pattern possibilities with horizontally andvertically infinitely adjustable embroidery tool aggregates; and

FIG. illustrates the finish possibilities of finish-embroidered fabricwith horizontally and vertically infinitely adjustable embroidery toolaggregates.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, theembroidery machine provides a bobbin-guide carrier 1, a needle-aggregatecarrier 2 and a thread-guide carrier 3, which are arranged vertically,with the fabric to-be-embroidered being passed between the carriers 1and 2 downwardly in the direction of the arrows 4.

The bobbin-guide carriers 1 are arranged parallel to each othervertically between upper and lower traverse pieces 5 and 6 in accordancewith the fabric width and the selected, hereinafter described,embroidery pattern system or linear pattern width, respectively. Thebobbin-guide carriers 1 are infinitely adjustable in dove-tail guides 7and 8 in the upper and lower traverse pieces 5 and 6, and are lockedthereto in any adjusted position by bolts 11 and 12. With thisarrangement, the bobbinguide carriers 1 may be positioned at any lateraldistance from each other in conformity with the selected embroiderypattern.

Slidable and infinitely adjustable in their height on the carriers 1 arebobbin guides 13 (FIG. 2). To this end, the bobbin carriers 13 areadjustable heightwise in longitudinal slots 15 in lateral flanges 16 ofthe carriers 1 and are locked thereto in any adjusted position by screws14.

Extending throughout the height of the bobbin-guide carriers 1 andthrough the bobbin guides 13 thereon, are bobbin operating rods 17 whichcarry thereon infinitely adjustable upper and lower bobbin drivers 18and 19, whereby it is possible infinitely to adjust these bobbin drivers18 and 19, the same as the bobbin guides 13, in their relative heightpositions.

Provided in the lower traverse piece or frame 6 is the bobbin drive.Turnable in this traverse frame 6 is a horizontal shaft 20 with acrankarm 21 which is oscillated back and forth by a cam on a main driveshaft through intermediation of a bar 22 (see also FIG. 3). There arepreferably provided in the lower traverse frame 6, at least two, andpreferably more, for example five, such drives. Carried by the shafts 20on the side of the traverse frame 6 next to the bobbin guides 13 are.crankarms 23 which are operatively connected with a drive rail 24 thatextends over the entire length of the traverse frame 6, whereby the rail24 is oscillated back and forth, with the vertical component of thisoscillation determining the bobbin stroke.

Adjustable in a dovetail guide on the drive rail 24 and releasablylockable thereto by clamps 26 are coupling members which are spaced thesame as the bobbin-guide carriers 1 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The couplingmembers 25 are through connecting rods 27 pivotally connected at 28 withthe operating rods 17, whereby the latter are by the oscillatory motionof the drive rail 24 moved up and down at the length of the bobbinstroke. Since the coupling members 25 are adjustable on the drive rail24, the operation of the rods 17 can be changed on the rail 24 toconform to the adjustment of the bobbin-guide carriers 1 in accordancewith the embroidery pattern.

Laterally adjustable on, and lockable in any adjusted position to, upperand lower traverse frames 29 and 30 in a main machine frame are thecarriers 2 of the embroidery tool aggregates. This is achieved by mounts33 which are slidable in guideways 31 and 32 in the traverse frames 29and 30, with these mounts 33 being in any position locked to theseframes by clamps 34 and bolts 35 (FIG. 1).

Releasably bolted to each mount 33 is a foot member 36 (FIGS. 4 and 5).Mounted by screws 39 to the upper andlower foot members 36 are front andrear uprights 37 and 38 which together from a carrier 2 of theembroidery tool aggregates, with a front and rear upright being providedfor each upright tool aggregate row. Carried for heightwise adjustmenton the laterally adjustable front and rear uprights 37 and 38 are thetool aggregates 40.

Each aggregate 40 consists of two parts, i.e., a casing 41 and a cover42 which by screws 43 is mounted on the casing 41 (FIGS. 4 to 7).Extending through the casings 41 are operating shafts 44, 45 and 46 forthe needles, punches and thread catchers, respectively. Mounted inhearings in each cover 42 are a needle bar 47 with needle 48, a punchbar 49 with a punch 50, a thread-guide rod 51 with a thread guide 52,and a rod 53 with a fabric presser 54.

Each casing 41 is by means of screws 55 and slots 56 mounted on a pairof uprights 37 and 38 for infinite heightwise adjustment. Since themounts 33 and foot members 36, which carry the uprights 37 and 38, arelaterally adjustable on the traverse frames 29 and 30, the toolaggregates may be adjusted to any desired lateral spacing from eachother. Further, since the tool aggregates are vertically adjustable onthe uprights 37 and 38, these aggregates may be adjusted to any desiredheightwise spacing from each other.

A main drive shaft (not shown) oscillates a shaft 57, with itsoscillation being through a clamp block 58 and fork 59 transmitted tothe needle-operating shaft 44 as reciprocatory motion (FIG. 5). Theshaft 44 operates the needle bars 47 through an arm 60, link 61 andtransport 62. In order selectively to disconnect each needle bar 47, thetransport 62 carries a pawl 63 which is releasably connectible with afollower 64 on the needle bar.

In order to disable the tool aggregates on individual carriers 2, theneedle drive shaft 44 is interrupted at the lower foot member 36 so thata coupling 65 affords a releasable connection between the shaftsections.

The punch drive (FIG. 7) is arranged similarly as the needle drive (FIG.6), wherefore a description of the punch drive is unnecessary.

The fabric presser drive operates in timed relation with the needledrive, and is as follows. Rod 53 is with its fabric presser 54 forced bya spring against the fabric (FIG. 5). Release of the fabric from thepresser is achieved thereby that the transport 62 of the needle bar 47is provided with a coupling which takes along the presser rod 53 onretraction of the needle bar and after the needle has left the fabric.On advance of the needle bar, the presser on the rod 53 is by its springforced against the fabric before the needle reaches the fabric.

In order reliably to perform thread-cutting, the single thread, whichpasses from each thread spool via a thread guide and through the eye ofa needle, to the fabric, must first be safely caught and arrestedagainst self-retraction from the needle eye after the thread is cut. Tothis end, there is provided a thread catcher 51 with a specially shapedslot (FIG. 4).

When the embroidery cycle is finished and the thread is to be cut, theshaft 46, through intermediation of an arm 66, moves the thread catcher51, 52 against the fabric against the force of a spring 67. Byappropriate motion of the embroidery frame, which is programmed andcontrolled by a punch card, the thread to-be-cut is accurately guidedinto the slot in the thread catcher 52, and the latter will, on returnoscillation of the shaft 46 and by the force of the spring 67, bring thethread within efiective reach of the nozzle 68 of a suction pipe 69(FIG. 7), whereupon by an electromagnet (not shown) a knife 70 on alever parallelogram 71 is brought into cutting relation with the thread.After fabric advance and a start of the next embroidery pattern to aboutsix stitches, the thread end is again brought to cut position and cut.These cut thread ends are removed by the nozzle 68 through the suctionpipe 69, and to this end the thread catcher 52 is by the rod 51 brieflyadvanced to release the thread ends. With this arrangement, no cut ortorn thread ends become embroidered in a pattern.

In order to produce novel patterns by vertical embroidery rows adaptedto be connected or disconnected within the overall embroidery field, thetool aggregates on the individual vertical carriers 2 can be activatedor disabled by manipulation of the respective couplings 65 (FIG. Thesame holds true if a particular pattern requires activation or disablingof individual tool aggregates on a vertical carrier 2. To this end, therespective pawl or pawls 63 are manipulated (FIG. 6).

As shown in FIG. 8, the fabric is within the embroidery field 72 heldtaut over its width by needle elements 74 on the opposite transportchains 73. The transport chains 73 are adjustable in their spacingaccording to the fabric width, and are preferably received in guidewaysfor holding the fabric taut widthwise.

At the entry end of the embroidery field there are provided separatelyoperated claw roll trios 75, 76 and 77, and at the exit end there isprovided a claw roll trio 78 which extends over the greater part of thewidth of the fabric. The outer claw roll trios 75, 76 at the entry endof the embroidery field are, like the lower claw roll trio 78, fabrictransport rolls, and the upper middle claw roll trio 77 forms alongitudinal fabric stabilization roll trio. The fabric transport rolltrios 75, 76, 78 are provided with needle hooks which are curved in thedirection of the fabric transport or feed (FIG. 12), while the fabricstabilization roll trio 77 is provided with needle hooks which arecurved opposite to the fabric feed direction (FIG. 13).

Each roll 79 of each fabric transport roll trio 75, 76, and 78 isturnable on a stub shaft 80, with the stub shafts of a trio beingcarried by a bracket 81 which by an arm 82 is supported on a traverse 83on the machine frame (FIG. 9). Turnable on each stub shaft 80 is a rollmember 84 to the outer periphery of which is attached a strap 85 byrivets 86 and screws 87. This strap or band is over part of theperiphery of the roll body 84 provided with needle books 88 which arecurved in the feed direction of the fabric (FIGS. 9 and 12). A spring89, which at 90 is anchored with one end to the roll body 84 and is withits other end 91 anchored to a fixed part, normally urges the roll body84 and needle hooks thereon in clockwise direction (FIG. 12), i.e., inthe fabric feed direction, when the roll body is by the band 85 releasedfor turning motion.

Each strap or band of each fabric transport roll trio is connected withthe end 93 of an arm 92 of a lever which at 94 is pivotally mounted, andthe other arm 95 of which is connected with a spring 96 which urges thelever in counterclockwise direction. The arm 92 of the lever carries afollower roll 97 which by the spring 96 is held in follower relationwith a cam 98 on an upper sprocket shaft of the chain drive (FIG. 9).Each cam 98 for a roll of a fabric transport roll trio is provided withfive equiangularly spaced crests 99 which, therefore, are spaced 72apart. Each cam is angularly displaced from the other two cams by 24, sothat the follower rolls 97 on the several levers reach cam crests aftersuccessive 24 displacements of the cams, thereby pulling the band andretracting the part with the needle hooks thereon into the upperinoperative position in which the upper roll of the roll trio is shownin FIG. 9. When the sprocket shaft 100 is turned clockwise (FIG. 9), therolls of a fabric transport roll trio are by the crests 99 of the camssuccessively returned into their upper inoperative position, and theyare successively turned according to the coordination of the parts andby the force of the springs 96, whereby their needle hooks enter thefabric and hold the same taut in the fabric feed direction. Since thecrests 99 of the cams are displaced by 24, the needle hooks on the rollsof a trio successively enter the fabric in overlapping fashion, as isillustrated with the three rolls in FIG. 9. Thus, when the lower rollreaches its illustrated position, the needles on the upper roll enterthe fabric, while the needles on the middle roll are hooked in thefabric. After a short time lapse, the lower roll is returned to itsupper inoperative position when the associated. follower 97 rides onto acam crest, and this roll is then turned further in accordance with thecam design. Since the needle hooks on the fabric transport rolls arecurved in the fabric feed direction, they may be returned into the upperinoperative position without damaging the fabric. Since the cams 98 arecarried by the sprocket shaft 100, the fabric transport rolls are turnedonly when the fabric is fed.

Contrary to the fabric transport rolls, the needle hooks on the fabricstabilization rolls 78 are curved 0pposite to the fabric feed direction(FIG. 13). These claw rolls 78 function to hold the fabric within theembroidery field taut especially in the middle where the fabric iscontracted the most in the embroidery process. The stabilization clawrolls, which enter the fabric only when the latter is at rest, thus holdthe fabric taut over its longitudinal extent and prevent con traction ofthe same and, hence, the formation of unsightly alleys or half-moonsbetween adjacent embroideries within the embroidery field. In order thatone of the rolls of a fabric transport roll trio will always be inholding penetration with the fabric, each of these rolls passes throughthe following sequence-penetration-holding firm-retraction, with thissequence being so overlapping for the several rolls that needle hookswill always be in holding penetration with the fabric.

For each revolution of a chain sprocket on the shaft 100, each fabrictransport roll participates in five fabric transport or feed stepsbecause its operating cam 98 on the shaft 100 has five crests 99.Accordingly, the rolls of a fabric transport roll trio participate infifteen successive fabric transport steps during each revolution ofshaft 100.

The fabric stabilization rolls 77 (FIGS. 8, 11 and 13) are operatedsimilarly as the fabric transport rolls, except that the needle hooksare curved opposite to the fabric feed direction, the springs 102 arearranged for action oppositely to that of the springs 89 in FIG. 12, andthere is provided in lieu of cams a solenoid 103 (FIG. 11) which acts onthe lever 92a, 95a and prevents, during fabric feed, entry of the needlehooks into the fabric, but when the fabric comes to stops, this solenoidis by a switch energized to cause entry of the needle hooks into thefabric. On energization of the solenoid, its armature 104, which bearsagainst a shoulder 105 on the lever, is retracted so that the lever willby the spring 96a be turned anticlockwise, whereby the needle hooksenter the fabric and remain tensioned anticlockwise (FIG. 13) by thesprings 102 and thereby hold the fabric taut during intermittent stopsof the same. Preliminary to the next fabric feed step, a switchdeenergizes the solenoid 103, whereupon the armature 104 turns the leverat the shoulder 105 clockwise and causes retraction of the needle hooksfrom the fabric.

Preferably, the roll bodies 84, 84a are by pawl and ratchet provisions85a and 85b connected with the respective stub shafts 80 and 100a onwhich they are turnable (FIGS. 12 and 13), whereby on hand adjustment ofthe fabric stabilization rolls in anticlockwise direction (FIG. 13) thefabric may be further tensioned.

Inasmuch as the claw rolls are driven, not directly by the chains, butby the cams on the sprocket shaft 100, their drive is independent of thechains. This is important because overtravel or undertravel of thefabric relative to the chain transport can thereby be prevented orregulated. Further, inasmuch as the fabric is always, i.e., during feedand rest, subjected to the action of penetrating needle hooks,slackening of the fabric at any place is prevented. It is also withinthe purview of the invention to change the relative coordination andnumber of the fabric transport and stabilization rolls.

The thread-guide carriers 3 behind the tool aggregate carriers 2 areslidable and infinitely adjustable in dovetail guides 106 in the upperand lower traverse frames 29 and 30 (FIG. 1), with these carriers 3being locked in any adjusted position by clamps 107 and bolts 108. Eachthread-guide unit 109 provides a thread brake, a small thread guide anda large thread guide. Each of these units is infinitely verticallyadjustable on the carrier 3. Accordingly, the carriers 3 may be adjustedlaterally, and the thread-guide units may be adjusted in theirheightwise positions to conform to the adjustments of the bobbin andtool aggregates. In FIG. 1, the numerals 110 designate thread brakes,the numerals 111 designate small thread guides, and the numerals 112designate large thread guides.

Extending along each carrier 3 is an operating rod 1 13 with which thesmall thread guides 111 are infinitely adjustably connected, and anoperating rod 114 with which the large thread guides 112 are infinitelyadjustably connected. The rods 113 and 114 are slidably connected withhorizontal main operating rods 115 and 116.

Accordingly, all embroidery tool carriers are infinitely adjustable onfixed traverse frames, and the tools or tool aggregates on thesecarriers are also infinitely adjustable, whereby it is possible toembroider at any desired lateral and heightwise spacing.

In the base needle stitch field, the basic lateral spacing of theembroidery tools, is in this instance 84 mm, while the basic needlestitch field height is in this instance 108 mm. If smaller needle stitchfields are to be embroidered, this is done under the control of a punchcard. This would result in embroidery of a small needle stitch fieldwithin the large rapport. If the embroidery is to be of larger rapport,the carriers are moved to one side according to the desired needlestitch field, and either remove the inactive carriers or move themsideways and disable them. There is thus available an embroidery machinewhich will always have high embroidery productivity. Numerous divisionsare possible at a line or lateral needle stitch field of 84 mm, whichmeans that within this linear rapport a plurality of whole numbers ofsmall needle stitch fields are possible.

FIG. 14 shows the pattern possibilities with horizontal and verticalinfinitely adjustable embroidery tool units as well as with active andinactive groups of such units. Thus, this Figure indicates how patternsmay be arranged circular by changing the distance between the toolcarriers, which became possible only by the present invention and theadjustability of the tool carriers between traverse frames.

FIG. 15 indicates the finish possibilities of fabric products in theoverall-field embroidery machine with horizontally and verticallyinfinitely adjustable embroidery tool units. Here, an embroidery fieldis equal to two tablecloths, for instance. After the embroidery process,the fabric may be cut and seamed immediately behind the embroiderymachine.

What is claimed is:

l. Embroidery machine, having an upright embroidery field with an upperentry end and a lower exit end through which passes fabric on itsintermittent vertical feed in downward direction; different sets oflongitudinal carriers; different sets of embroidery tool units mountedon the carriers of said sets, respectively, with the tool units of eachset being independently infinitely adjustable on and longitudinally ofthe carriers of the respective set; sets of fixed upper and lowerlongitudinal traverses at said field entry and exit ends and extendinghorizontally and parallel to said field, with each set of traversesbeing associated with a set of carriers, and the carriers of each setextending vertically between the upper and lower traverses of the associated set, with the carriers of each set being mounted on thetraverses of the associated set for infinite adjustment longitudinallythereof for disposition of the vertical carriers of each set atinfinitely variable spacing from each other.

2. Embroidery machine as in claim 1, in which one of said sets of toolunits includes bobbins and bobbin guides, and the carriers of one ofsaid sets are bobbin carriers, with said bobbin guides being infinitelyadjustable on the respective bobbin carriers, there is further providedan operating rod extending through all bobbin guides on each bobbincarrier, and upper and lower actuators for each bobbin guide, with saidactuators being independently infinitely adjustable on said operatingrod, the traverses of one of said sets are bobbin traverses on whichsaid bobbin carriers are adjustably mounted, and there is furtherprovided a main bobbin drive in the lower bobbing traverse, a railextending over the length of said lower bobbin traverse and beingreciprocated by said main bobbin drive, links associated with saidoperating rods, respectively, and having pivot connections with thelatter and with said rail and operating to reciprocate said operatingrods on reciprocation of said rail, with said pivot connections of saidlinks with said rail being independently infinitely adjustable on saidrail longitudinally thereof.

3. Embroidery machine as in claim 1, in which one of said sets of toolunits are stitch tool units, the carriers of said stitch tool units aremounted on the traverses of one of said sets, and there is furtherprovided in the lower one of the traverses of said one set a main drivefor said stitch tool units, the traverses of said one set provideguideways in which the carriers of said stitch tool units are receivedand adjustable, said stitch tool units are independently infinitelyadjustable on the respective carriers on which they are mounted, andeach stitch tool unit includes a needle bar and needle, a fabricpresser, a punch bar and punch, a thread catcher and a thread suctionnozzle.

4. Embroidery machine as in claim 3, which further provides mainoperating shafts in and extending throughout the length of the lowertraverse of said one set, drive shafts for said needle bars, punch barsand thread catchers, respectively, with each drive shaft beingassociated with a main operating shaft, and an operating connectionbetween each main operating shaft and associated drive shaft, with saidoperating connections being adjustable longitudinally of the respectivemain operating shafts.

5. Embroidery machine as in claim 4, which further provides releasablecouplings between said needle bars and punch bars and their respectivedrive shafts for disabling needle bars and punch bars for a needlestitch field change.

6. Embroidery machine as in claim 1, which further provides at saidfield entry and exit ends movably supported holding means movable intoholding engagement with fabric in said field, said holding means at eachof said field entry and exit ends provide three superposed rollscarrying claws over parts of their peripheries, stub shafts on whichsaid rolls are tumable, angularly displaced rotary cams, pivoted leversin follower relation with said cams, respectively, and operativelyconnected with said rolls, respectively, and springs normally urgingsaid rolls in one direction, and said cams and levers turning said rollsin the opposite direction and controlling their rotation in said onedirection, with said peripheral claw parts of said rolls, cams andlevers being coordinated so that on rotation of said rolls in said onedirection, said peripheral claw parts successively claw into the fabricin overlapping fashion.

7. Embroidery machine as in claim 6, which further periphery of a rotarydisc, with said discs being carried by one of said sprocket shafts.

8. Embroidery machine as in claim 7, in which the cam periphery of eachdisc includes a set of five equiangularly spaced cam crests, with saiddiscs being carried by said one sprocket shaft, and the cam crest setsof said discs being displaced 24 from each other.

9. Embroidery machine as in claim 6, which further provides a pawl andratchet connection between each stub shaft and roll thereon for manualangular adjustability of the roll.

10. Embroidery machine as in claim 1, which further provides at saidfield entry and exit ends movably supported holding means movable intoholding engagement with fabric in said field, with said holding meansbeing rotary rolls carrying claws, and said rolls being fabric-transportand fabric-stabilization rolls, of which the claws on said transport andstabilization rolls are needle hooks curved in the fabric feed directionand opposite to the fabric feed direction, respectively.

1 l. Embroidery machine as in claim 10, in which two fabric-transportrolls and an intermediate fabric-stabilization roll are provided at saidfield entry end, with said intermediate roll being in the middle of saidfield entry end, and there is further provided a solenoid for turningsaid fabric-stabilization roll from clawing engagement with the fabric.

1. Embroidery machine, having an upright embroidery field with an upperentry end and a lower exit end through which passes fabric on itsintermittent vertical feed in downward direction; different sets oflongitudinal carriers; different sets of embroidery tool units mountedon the carriers of said sets, respectively, with the tool units of eachset being independently infinitely adjustable on and longitudinally ofthe carriers of the respective set; sets of fixed upper and lowerlongitudinal traverses at said field entry and exit ends and extendinghorizontally and parallel to said field, with each set of traversesbeing associated with a set of carriers, and the carriers of each setextending vertically between the upper and lower traverses of theassociated set, with the carriers of each set being mounted on thetraverses of the associated set for infinite adjustment longitudinallythereof for disposition of the vertical carriers of each set atinfinitely variable spacing from each other.
 2. Embroidery machine as inclaim 1, in which one of said sets of tool units includes bobbins andbobbin guides, and the carriers of one of said sets are bobbin carriers,with said bobbin guides being infinitely adjustable on the respectivebobbin carriers, there is further provided an operating rod extendingthrough all bobbin guides on each bobbin carrier, and upper and loweractuators for each bobbin guide, with said actuators being independentlyinfinitely adjustable on said operating rod, the traverses of one ofsaid sets are bobbin traverses on which said bobbin carriers areadjustably mounted, and there is further provided a main bobbin drive inthe lower bobbing traverse, a rail extending over the length of saidlower bobbin traverse and being reciprocated by said main bobbin drive,links associated with said operating rods, respectively, and havingpivot connections with the latter and with said rail and operating toreciprocate said operating rods on reciprocation of said rail, with saidpivot connections of said links with said rail being independentlyinfinitely adjustable on said rail longitudinally thereof.
 3. Embroiderymachine as in claim 1, in which one of said sets of tool units arestitch tool units, the carriers of said stitch tool units are mounted onthe traverses of one of said sets, and there is further provided in thelower one of the traverses of said one set a main drive for said stitchtool units, the traverses of said one set provide guideways in which thecarriers of said stitch tool units are received and adjustable, saidstitch tool units are independently infinitely adjustable on theRespective carriers on which they are mounted, and each stitch tool unitincludes a needle bar and needle, a fabric presser, a punch bar andpunch, a thread catcher and a thread suction nozzle.
 4. Embroiderymachine as in claim 3, which further provides main operating shafts inand extending throughout the length of the lower traverse of said oneset, drive shafts for said needle bars, punch bars and thread catchers,respectively, with each drive shaft being associated with a mainoperating shaft, and an operating connection between each main operatingshaft and associated drive shaft, with said operating connections beingadjustable longitudinally of the respective main operating shafts. 5.Embroidery machine as in claim 4, which further provides releasablecouplings between said needle bars and punch bars and their respectivedrive shafts for disabling needle bars and punch bars for a needlestitch field change.
 6. Embroidery machine as in claim 1, which furtherprovides at said field entry and exit ends movably supported holdingmeans movable into holding engagement with fabric in said field, saidholding means at each of said field entry and exit ends provide threesuperposed rolls carrying claws over parts of their peripheries, stubshafts on which said rolls are turnable, angularly displaced rotarycams, pivoted levers in follower relation with said cams, respectively,and operatively connected with said rolls, respectively, and springsnormally urging said rolls in one direction, and said cams and leversturning said rolls in the opposite direction and controlling theirrotation in said one direction, with said peripheral claw parts of saidrolls, cams and levers being coordinated so that on rotation of saidrolls in said one direction, said peripheral claw parts successivelyclaw into the fabric in overlapping fashion.
 7. Embroidery machine as inclaim 6, which further provides fabric feed chains and sprocket shaftstherefor, and the cams for each roll is formed by a cam periphery of arotary disc, with said discs being carried by one of said sprocketshafts.
 8. Embroidery machine as in claim 7, in which the cam peripheryof each disc includes a set of five equiangularly spaced cam crests,with said discs being carried by said one sprocket shaft, and the camcrest sets of said discs being displaced 24* from each other. 9.Embroidery machine as in claim 6, which further provides a pawl andratchet connection between each stub shaft and roll thereon for manualangular adjustability of the roll.
 10. Embroidery machine as in claim 1,which further provides at said field entry and exit ends movablysupported holding means movable into holding engagement with fabric insaid field, with said holding means being rotary rolls carrying claws,and said rolls being fabric-transport and fabric-stabilization rolls, ofwhich the claws on said transport and stabilization rolls are needlehooks curved in the fabric feed direction and opposite to the fabricfeed direction, respectively.
 11. Embroidery machine as in claim 10, inwhich two fabric-transport rolls and an intermediatefabric-stabilization roll are provided at said field entry end, withsaid intermediate roll being in the middle of said field entry end, andthere is further provided a solenoid for turning saidfabric-stabilization roll from clawing engagement with the fabric.